‘The country’s only gay club was forced to close under the pressure of local authorities.

‘While the local organization dealing with HIV prevention of men having sex with men faces problems with the authorities.

In addition police monitor and prosecute people using gay dating sites, with their accounts and personal erotic pictures used as evidence against them.

‘This is why we took it seriously.

‘Today, after receiving an official response, it became clear that the Belarusian Partisan portal published false information.

‘We hope that this story will not prove to be true in the future.’

Belarus is ruled in a dictatorial fashion by Alexander Lukashenko, with the press strictly censored, and freedom of speech and protest have been removed.

Lukashenko has repeatedly made anti-gay speeches.

Last year he mockingly responded to the out gay German Foreign Minister, Guido Westwerwelle’s statemet that Belarus is ‘Europe’s last dictatorship’ by saying: ‘It’s better to be a dictator than a “faggot”.’

The speech led to an international scandal with a strong condemnation from the German Foreign Ministry.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, the only acceptable sexual relationship is between a man and a woman pursuing one goal – creating a family and having children, he stated in October last year in an interview with British daily The Independent.